The invention relates to protective and security measures for buildings and in particular to the securing of doors against break-in or unauthorized entry. Specifically, the invention provides security against the opening of a door inwardly for unauthorized purposes.
In the prior art there are numerous ways in which doors have been secured against entry from the outside in addition to the normal door lock. There have been bolts of various types, extra interior locks, so-called keeper chains, locked chains that pass through a door handle and an available eye or similar opening, and the old fashioned bar dropped into a "U" shaped retainer or similar configuration on each side of the doorway, as well as other devices. In some cases where the door could be opened slightly if unlocked, the security means could be conveniently cut or pushed to one side or upward to disengage it and permit entry.
The present invention overcomes these problems and provides a device that is easy to install, simple to be placed in operation to secure a door, even when unlocked, and yet permits opening the door slightly for conversation without the ability of the outsider to disengage the device.
The present invention provides a hasp-like retainer member which is affixed to a wall or door frame casing on one side of the doorway, and an eye-type on the other side of the doorway opening. A bar-like member or security piece of a rectangular cross-section configured to be affixed to the hasp-like retainer member and to the eye-type retainer member is another component of the security device.
The retainer members may be suitably affixed to a wall or door frame casing on each side of the door, depending on the building structure. The hasp-like retainer member may be affixed to the interior wall or door frame by regular screws, one-way screws, lag screws, bolts, welding, or by any other similar satisfactory manner so long as the affixation is sufficient for the job to be done. When not in use the hasp-like retainer member may be folded to the closed position and the bar-like member may be left hanging from the eye-type retainer.
It is to be noted that the invention is intended for use on an outside door, such doors that open into the inside of the building and swing into the interior room.
It is also to be noted that the invention may be used on interior doors that open inwardly into a room.
In use, the slotted end of the hasp-like retainer is positioned so that it extends into the room area perpendicular to the wall or door frame to which it is affixed.
The security piece or bar-like member, which is affixed to the eye-type retainer, is then removably affixed to a slot-like configuration of the hasp-like retainer and positioned so that the bar-like member extends across the door and blocks it from being opened.
When the bar-like member is to be removed so that the door can be opened, the bar-like member is removed from the slot-like configuration of the hasp-like retainer and left hanging downwardly on the eye-type retainer.
If necessary, the door may be opened until the edge of the door presses against the bar-like member. This will permit a crack-like opening for conversation and observation before entry is permitted.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a security means for an exterior door.
It is another object of the invention to provide a security means for a door that opens inwardly into the building or into a room.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a security means for a door that may be an interior door that opens inwardly into a room.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a security means for a door that has the components so arranged so as to prevent the security device from being removed from its securing means by persons on the exterior of the door.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in light of the following description of the preferred embodiments.